A Change of Perspective
by RPX
Summary: In the grand scheme of things, all we can really do is be prepared for what life throws at us. AU. Will be ShizNat in the near future.
1. The Day

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Summary: In the grand scheme of things, all we can really do is be prepared for what life throws at us. Will be ShizNat in the near future. AU

A Change of Perspective

Chapter 1 – The Day

It was cold out. She didn't feel it but the wispy white vapor coming out of her mouth every time she exhaled proved it. She was used to the cold, having lived out in the streets for some time during her adolescence.

She looked at her digital watch that was set in front of her to confirm the time. She didn't need to wait long, he would be there soon. She was a patient person; meticulous and precise. She liked to control whatever she could in life since there were so many things she couldn't control. Gave her a false sense of security she supposed, but tried not to look too much into it.

She certainly hadn't chosen to be born into a messed up family, complete with a drunkard father who loved kicking her around and a drug addict mother who didn't know who she was half the time. Getting kicked out of her own home by the time she was fourteen had actually felt like a blessing at the time. That was until she realized that it was harder than it sounded; being fourteen and without a shelter. What one had to do to survive-…

…but that was the past, and she wasn't about to start pondering on it now. This was the life she had chosen, an easy way to get her off the streets, put food on her plate and a shelter over her head. It wasn't like she did it because she liked it.

Just as an afterthought she looked at the digital watch again, to the date this time. She didn't smile when she realized what day it was, but took a note of it in her head.

Finally, the car she had been waiting for slowly stopped by the park. A man stepped out. Smart looking, tall dark and handsome, middle aged. He turned to help a teenage girl out. The girl with the sad and scared eyes allowed the man to help her out. The man took her hand in a grip and started to drag her to the near tree lines.

She supposed the girl was a teenage prostitute or just a girl that had been tricked by the slick man. Either way, that wasn't her business.

He was saying something but she couldn't hear him. She didn't need to, she could see him.

A mild gust of wind blew across the rooftop she was on, pushing that one strand of hair that was out of her ponytail across her face. She moved her hand to push it behind her ear, and positioned her arm back to its place.

She took a breath in as she looked through the telescopic sight, flexed her finger on the trigger, and aimed carefully. She let her breath go the same time she let the bullet go and took her eye off the telescopic sight.

She didn't need to see to know that she had hit the target; the sudden scream of the terrified girl was enough. The girl kept screaming as the sniper crawled back slowly taking the sniper rifle and her watch with her. Snapping the bipods up, she put the rifle back in its case.

She flipped open her phone and dialed quickly. She didn't have to wait long to hear an answer.

"Its done." She spoke clearly.

'Good. The second half of your fee is being transferred to your account now. As always, nice doing business with you.'

"Sure" with that she hung up. She wasn't very social; many in her line of work called her the Ice Queen because of it.

One more job well done, she sighed as she walked to the door that would lead her back into the building.

She snapped her watch back to her arm as she reminded herself that it was the 19th of December. She was 25 today.

The crimson eyed assassin frowned and shook her head, it would have been better if she hadn't remembered this damn day at all. Nothing good ever became of it.

She paused in the dark stairwell right next to an annoying flickering light.

"Just once, I wish something decent happened on this damned day." she muttered, then shook her head and bitterly laughed it off.

"Yea…right" with that she continued walking, not knowing what the day would bring.

TBC…

….if anyone is interested. Thanks!

RPX (aka Wicked Psyche)


	2. Smoke

Chapter 2 – Smoke

Black smoke residue was all over her flat. Hell, it was all over the apartment. She looked around her place in distaste.

She had a piece of damp cloth covering her mouth and nose, and all the windows were open just like the fire department had suggested.

She had spent the last two days in her hideaway, which was a rat-hole of a place where she kept a futon and her work related equipment, since she wasn't allowed into her flat. The fire investigation had taken awhile, in the end it turned out that some idiot on the second floor had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette.

It was only that flat that had burned to crisp but, since smoke rises, it was the whole apartment that was pretty much ruined.

She walked to her closet to grab some clothing only to notice they all reeked of thick smoke. She would have to get everything dry cleaned. Hell, she was going to have to get the whole flat cleaned if she ever wanted the smell to get out. The cost would be monstrous, and the cleaning would have to done a few times for best results.

She looked outside the window to see her usual view of bricks 15 feet ahead which belonged to the other apartment building right next to hers. Looking down she grimaced at the dirty alley complete with hobos and rats.

It was then she decided that it was too much trouble. She would just have to get a new place. It wasn't like she couldn't afford it, and she didn't really like this apartment anyway.

She wasn't big on signs from the universe or whatnot, but this was a sign if she ever saw one. A fire in her apartment building on her birthday?

It was time to move on.

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A WEEK LATER

"Shizuru! Help me carry this thing!!"

Shizuru, who was busy carrying a box twice as heavy, shot her sensei a dirty look as best as she could from over the huge box.

The evil-eye didn't help, as usual, as she suddenly found herself carrying both the boxes on top of each other.

The older red-head let out a laugh as she opened the door for the usually cool mannered woman. "Come on! Aren't you excited about your new place? A few more boxes and we are all done!"

Shizuru grunted as she placed the boxes on the floor with an audible 'oof', and didn't mention the unpacking process that would have to ensue afterwards. "We? Ara, you carried maybe six boxes"

Green eyes sparkled as they laughed "I am the sensei, now hurry! I want this done and then off to the bar I saw down the street! My treat!"

With that the fireball was off to take out the last of the boxes to mule on to Shizuru.

"Midori!!" the caramel haired woman shouted to no avail. "Ara, what will I do with you?"

There were only a few people Shizuru let close to her; Midori being the first person she ever trusted. Midori was the one who had found her when she was 16, and had taken her under her sake-loving wing.

Midori was a weird mentor when it came down to it, but she had taught her everything she knew. Midori's weird sense of justice and love, as an assassin, was hard to come by and also the reason she only took cases where other criminals were the targets. She was always cheerful, watched too many Sentai shows and was way too fond of sake.

It was a wonder that they got along.

Shizuru walked out with a cool frown on her face that would freeze hell, hoping Midori would just carry a few boxes herself. Her back was killing her from doing most of the heavy lifting. Midori upon seeing her pupil only laughed.

"This is the reason why I am called the 'Firecracker' and you are called the 'Ice Queen'. Here, more boxes!"

They were done in twenty minutes and Midori took all the credit. Another ten minutes and they were in the bar a block away. They were seated on a round table near the bar attempting to relax

"You know it is only 6 pm. You should ease up on the sake" watching her sensei finish up her second bottle of cold sake, as she sipped her tea.

Midori mumbled something like 'nonsense' and got back to attempting to drink more than the man who was sitting a table away from them (who was minding his own business not even aware that he was in a drinking competition).

Shizuru looked around the bar. It was actually a decent place and they served food. It was lively with several televisions scattered around, tuned on to the American Baseball league, one of the teams that had a Japanese player.

People at this hour were mostly there for dinner but there were some just there for boozing. Like Midori, who was ordering her third bottle and dialing her cell-phone. The crimson eyed woman hoped she wasn't drunk-dialing again. She was also glad that she had ordered food for the redhead; some food should balance the alcohol a little.

Shizuru figured that the food would take at least another ten-twenty minutes so she reverted back to her usual people watching.

She looked over the half full sports-bar finding most of the people uninteresting. Some were attention worthy; a couple in a corner booth was in a heated argument and she assumed the man was about to be doused in the woman's drink any moment now. A man, deep in thought, on the bar was playing with his wedding ring, his nearly untouched whisky making the wedding ring look red.

A lone orange-haired girl was sitting alone on a table with two settings. Both the plates were empty, and the empty hair still had a coat draped over the back. Shizuru assumed that the other occupant must be in the bathroom.

"You people watching again?"

Turning her attention back to her sensei, Shizuru smirked "Ara, I can't count on you for company when you come to a bar to get drunk, now can I?"

Midori looked offended and was about to reply until something attracted her attention on the other side. "Oi! He is ordering another bottle of sake!! A worthy opponent!! Oi! Waiter another sake here!!" and with that Midori started chugging the rest of her almost finished bottle to make room for the next one.

Normally this was the time when Shizuru would tease her sensei, but her attention was also elsewhere.

It was just a mistake really; she was just rolling her eyes at Midori when she saw _her_. The person the orange-haired girl was waiting for.

Shizuru couldn't take her eyes off of her. The woman with the sleek navy hair and mischievous emerald eyes, walking around the tables with confidence. By the time the woman walked up to the table the orange-haired woman was up and collecting her coat and purse. Orange-haired woman said something that made the navy-haired one blush as she too put on her coat.

Shizuru couldn't help but smile at the blush. Something about this woman was mesmerizing her and she didn't know what. She followed the two with her eyes as they walked out the door.

She felt a strange emptiness as they walked out the door. She continued staring at the door, willing for it to open again, for the emerald-eyed beauty to walk in the bar again.

The bar door opened…but it wasn't her who entered. Instead it was someone she knew. It took her a second for her mind to comprehend who it was.

A smile graced her surprised face as she stood up and waved "Yukino!"

The short-haired brunette with eccentric glasses smiled too and quickly made her way towards Shizuru and Midori.

She let out a small laugh as she hugged both the woman before they all sat once more.

"Ara, Yukino, I haven't seen you in months. What are you doing here?"

The brunette pointed to their side "Midori-sensei said you moved out of that rat-hole. Said you two would be here to celebrate the new place."

Shizuru smiled "I guess it was time. What are you doing these days Yukino? Behaving I hope" she teased.

Yukino lowered her eyes blushing. "Oh not much, I am actually taking some courses in the University."

Yukino was also 'adopted' by Midori, two years after Shizuru. Joining in their 'ranks', the younger girl was never good with guns. She used her unthreatening looks to her full advantage. Her usual M.O. was to get close to the target a few times, become an acquaintance, and then use a selection of poisons. Yukino never liked to see the bodies. The poisons she used were usually triggered a few hours later, when she wasn't around.

But a year ago all that had changed. Her new target, a mobster's daughter, had unwittingly changed everything for Yukino.

After 'running into' the woman three times (her usual number before she made her move) in her favorite bar and talking to the other woman, Yukino had found herself putting off the job. Telling herself that she would do it the next day every time they met.

Her job became even more difficult when she realized that she was falling for the loud and forward blond who messed up a word in every other sentence.

A month later Yukino had quit and had told the other woman everything. It was almost like a dream that the blond had accepted Yukino.

"University? Nice!" Midori put her input while subtly pushing a sake bottle in front of the brunette.

"How is Haruka-san?" Shizuru asked rolling her eyes at Midori "Still managing to keep out of the family business?"

Yukino nodded "She is okay." She blushed "and she is… mostly keeping out of the business"

Shizuru nodded, sipping her tea, and then nearly spitting it back out when the unexpected taste of sake filled her senses.

She forcibly gulped it down before glaring at Midori.

----- ----- -----

It was another two hours before the three women separated their ways, promising to meet up soon once more. Other friends would also be invited. Midori and Yukino left sharing a taxi while Shizuru opted to walk home.

As she walked in the cold night she slowly felt her usual walls creeping in, building around her. She felt safe with them, protected from other people who could potentially break her.

She sighed, her breath turning into a wisp of white vapor. She nearly walked past her new apartment without realizing it. She scolded herself for the mistake, as she walked in but not before admiring the gorgeous Ducati bike that was parked right in front of the building.

She didn't bother with the elevator and just walked up the stairs one floor. Each floor held 4 flats; she made her way to the right side.

She plunged her hand into her bag trying to locate her keys. Once she found them she motioned to open the door but the lock wouldn't turn.

She took the key out of the lock to look at it. After making sure it was the right one, she tried again. This time jiggling the key more and trying to turn the knob.

The door opened, but to her dismay from the inside.

"What the hell??" came the forceful and peeved question.

Shizuru turned her attention to the door once more only to see the '2D' written on them.

"Ara…I…I apologize. I just moved here. To 2E, I'm afraid I just got the wrong—" she trailed off as she recognized the woman on the other side of the door.

The woman from the bar…was her neighbor.

The woman seemed calm now "Oh, its ok. I did the same thing when I first moved in too. Wrong floor in my case, went up to 3D. Small world."

Shizuru, uncharacteristically, just stared. The navy-haired girl gave her a weird look, then shrugged thinking the other woman must be embarrassed over her mistake.

"Kuga, Natsuki. Nice to meet you" she smiled, extending her hand.

Shizuru collected herself and smiled almost predatorily, her eyes making a quick mapping of the other woman, before taking a hold of the soft hand in hers.

"Fujino, Shizuru. The pleasure is all mine."

Natsuki blushed.

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TBC.

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Hello hello! As you may have noticed, some of the characters will be a little different, as this is AU. But I promise that whomever I decide to include in this fic will have traits of their usual fandom characteristics as well.

Thanks! R&R will be appreciated.

_M.O. stands for 'modus operandi'. It means a __**method: **__a particular way of doing things. You might hear of M.O. in a lot in cop shows and movies when describing serial killers and such. _


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